Food

I have a love/hate relationship with Lent and fasting. I love the discipline, I hate feeling miserable. Or deprived.

A few weeks ago I found myself wondering why did God make food so enjoyable? After all, this obesity epidemic would be easily solved if food did bring so much pleasure. What was God thinking?

But then I realized that if food were a chore, a responsibility, a necessity to good health, but not delicious, who would eat? Those very same people who eat healthy now, those in shape folks, by far the minority of our population in the States. The rest of us who overeat would undereat. If we can't be responsible when food tastes good, we'd be worse if it didn't.

Besides, for centuries people didn't overeat like we do now, because they ate food in its natural state, delicious, but not dangerous. Our processed concentrated sugars and fats have made food deadly instead of life giving.

Today I am fasting. I haven't talked about this during Lent, because the Bible tells us to do it privately. And why am I breaking my silence now? To share something that occurred to me today. At any moment I can decide to end my hunger. My misery is voluntary, and easily remedied. Most of the world doesn't have that option. They feel the desperation of true hunger daily, not the minor discomfort of postponing pleasure that I'm experiencing.

I want to get in touch with that, to realize my temporary pain is permanent for most of the world. What I really hope is that tomorrow when I can indulge again, I still remember. And I am more responsible with the privilege of eating.